Decedantly damcing towards December - frugaleering Christmas ahoy!

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That looks pretty cute Tayto!

India is the wedding of a very close friend (DH went to school with the groom, and we both went to uni with him too so we go back a long way). He was DH’s best man so we really want to go but it’s not worth going for less than a week (the wedding is 2 days and we want time to look around a bit too - or in DH’s case, go birdwatching - I’m a lucky lady ). My mother and sisters will move in and look after the DCs and they will have a lovely time together as it’s much more easy and fun with 2 adults and the dc adore them. However, I am really swithering about leaving them, especially DD who is so little and a clingy mummy’s girl at the mo. 😢

Finally my spends for my trip to Brum
Breakfast @ Dublin Airport €6.25
Breakfast @ Grand Central £7
Lunch was paid by dcuz as I paid dinner previous night

River Island Sparkly top reduced from £45 to £25.10
Left Luggage £9
H&M PJ Top & Lovely slouchy jumper £24 paid £11.19
Primark £10 Foam Travellers Pillow, 2 pairs of chenille cozy socks and a foundation & eyeshadow brush
Next Jeans £45 no reduction but they're fab and it's so hard to get nice jeans
Superdrug £14.05 on presents for dc
Dutyfree alcohol £25.99 will be reimbursed by my friend
Card Factory £6.99 on 2 reward charts for dc, 2 choc lollies for christmas stockings, family calendar for me and slim calendar for my dm, 3 date books(teeny diaries that fit in your purse)
£5.60 return train ticket to airport

Yesterday I went to Easons for a total of €29.10 I got a peter rabbit collection & touch and feel book for dniece and two sticker books for dc, I had €20 in book tokens from shop&scan

I then spent €148.35 in Dunnes(after using €35 off in money off vouchers will get another €10 back from my rewards with my bank) and €48 in Lidl, this is almost all my food and drink for the week and party. I need a jar of lemon curd and a bottle of pink gin now. They had pizzas half price, I literally cannot fit another item into my freezer now Need to divvy up the receipts to divide out grocery and party spends before transferring this amount from joint account.

H hasn't done his transfer yet for some reason. I haven't yet spoken to him about money, going to wait until after Christmas and ask my solicitor to send another letter then.

£54 at the post office to post my box. Wowzwrs.

Then met Dm and df for lunch. Which was a total suprise. They were walking to cafe near work and suggested I join them. I had a halloumi toasted peoper and pesto wrap and chippies. #piggy. Ddad paid.

I have got myself a little non-paying job doing admin for the orchestra and it is a lot of fun. I get to have a RL friend to email as well, which is very nice. Happy days....

Big food shop day.

£30 sainsburys
£9 Morrison’s
£74 Lidl
£14 Aldi.

£126 all in for 4 weeks. I’ll need eggs, fruit, maybe frozen peas and cat food, milk.
£10 petrol.

Happier I'm impressed you managed to only spend £7 on breakfast in Grand Central. That's the posh bit of Brum!

Ooh, they just referred to Mumnset on the Ray Darcy radio show. It's an AIBU about charging a family member for their Christmas dinner.

I read that one!

I could do with some reassurance! I'm trying to be a good boy and take cash to Aldi tomorrow so I don't spend too much. I think I have £40 available (maybe £50 if I include something from The Magical Aisle Of Random Shit™) - cash is fine, right? It won't slow them down at the till? I feel so stupid for worrying about this

Yes cash is fine.

I will make £10 off a matched bet tonight.

Thankyou!

One too many bollockings from the bank about going overdrawn so I tend to take cash and use my calculator as I'm going around!

Actually come to think of it, it was bullring snuggly Ed's diner because we were too early for the places in grand central I'd porridge and oj, and dcuz had eggs on toast, when we finished they offered us refills if we wanted! So worth knowing for you again.

i like your ™ sneaky.

I think cash is fine btw. I like to take tons of change and put it in the slot in tesco.

I get the impression they prefer cash in Aldi. Maybe it's just the one I go to but they always look a bit surprised when I produce my debit card!

That's good to know Happier although I don't get into town much these days. Too much hassle with the twins on trains and things!

Evening all, well just checked my account and given its payday its looks crap!

Once the direct debits go out I will be left with about £400 for the month which bearing in mind I still have loads left to get for Christmas is not going to go very far.

Plan, get the food bill down and under control, £30 a week is entirely achievable if I plan carefully and don't waste anything. We have a well stocked freezer, the cupboards aren't too bad so really only need to be getting fresh stuff. Will write a shopping list and stick to it.

Frugal Christmas, need a realistic budget for Christmas, I still have my mum, dad, niece and two nephews to buy for. I also have my Godmother and a good friends bday in Dec. I also want to get dd some more bits but will re-evaluate my Amazon basket!

Dds London trip, I feel bad asking my parents for any more money as they have helped out loads recently but I can't otherwise afford it on my own, will see if they could both put some money in to help.

No unnecessary spends, we have all we need in way of toiletries etc, keep weekends very simple, only go into town with a list and stick to it!

Aim is to stay out of the over draft before Christmas!!

I try to use cash in supermarkets too. If I have a load of small change I go through the self service till and then I am not in a fluster about counting it all out with someone behind me.

I am shopping in Asda much more lately as Tesco seems to have become so expensive.

I'm going to write a meal plan tonight before I go shopping.

If only Veg wasn't so £££...

sneaky I am about the only person in my area who uses their card in Aldi! As long as you pay for your shopping, no-one cares.

I took a half hour of holiday and left early to get my glasses. They are amazing! I love them already. The girl in the shop was a bit that I didn't need to look at myself in them, they feel so amazing and light.

Also got dd1 the perfume she picked out (£27) and £1 parking.

£11.99 argos on ps4 game, scribblenaughts, the dd's love it. And £23 in Sainsburys, mostly pressies.

I do that with change into the self service tool fizzy. And take cash to Aldi sneaky.

You can totes do that girlie. Did your want the exploding kittens game?

£10 Tesco on top up, £17 Holland and Barrett on protein powder and children vitamins.

£8 on a floss like a boss t-shirt. And £3 cubs,

Thanks, cash it is!

The good thing about meal planning is I live alone so nobody whining they want something else

Right re-evaluated my Amazon basket and compared prices with ebay some of the things were half the price on eBay and put some bits back as may get them for dds bday after christmas.

Spent £40 on Amazon but thats three gifts for dd and one for my mum, £12 Ebay two gifts. Dd is now done and my mum is nearly done. I reckon I can do my dad for £20 if I shop around, niece and nephew £15 for both of them, God mum and friend also £15 so £50 total....

Life I am so sorry i missed that post (I have only been skim reading ) I have just bought it on eBay for £10!! I don't know if I can cancel the order now, will check....

No worries girlie. Let me know

My parcel turned up. Apparently delivering to the neighbours but not telling me is a secure place. 🙄

Lovely neighbour dropped it round this evening.

Just ds and me here this evening. And catface. Dh is out for dinner.

I’ve done laundry have fed myself (tuna pasta and cheese) have tidied the kitchen and bathroom and have packed up my jodhpurs to send back.

They developed a hole on Saturday. In the seat area. Also are no good. Which is pissing annoying as I only wore them twice. Requested a refund this morning. Amazon have agreed. So they’re going back. They weren’t cheap either £65. 😱 have left a less than favourable review.

Make up removed. Hands moisturised. Face moisturised. And am in bed. I’m feeling sniffly and some throaty. Aaaah.

So am taking it easy. And resting. While I was folding laundry I watched some more of chilling adventures of Sabrina. Yay.